1,200 Royal Holiday travelers visited Aruba last year.
The island destination is still one of the classic destinations in the Lesser Antilles.
Here’s why…
Aruba is one of the few places in the Royal Holiday collection that actually pre-dates the age of mass air travel.
Early visitors endured days – and sometimes weeks – at sea to arrive in the southerly waters of the Caribbean because Aruba’s charm, sun, and utterly unique desert climate.
It may be the original “Desert Island.”
With a climate that’s dry all day, there is a rainy season from October through December, but it’s always an other-worldly Caribbean experience.
Cruise ships still abound – offloading cruise passengers . But the airport handles 2 million passengers per year, and about 615,000 of them stick around as bonafide tourists. Royal Holiday travelers made up about 1,200 of them last year… and all of them checked into the beautiful Paradise Beach Villas.
So, what’s the deal?
Think – “Scottsdale Arizona meets one of those cute Caribbean Islands,” and just off the coast of Venezuela. It’s way down there, and just 12 degrees north of the equator, it’s actually safely outside of the path of hurricanes, usually getting but a few downpours off only those that pass closest!
Prime season runs from just after that rainy season, December 15 straight through to April 15. The remainder of the year is high because there is simply never a bad time to go.
AirTran, American and United connect flights in Charlotte, Miami and Atlanta with flights from all over North America to the Queen Beatrix International Airport in Oranjestad. Most air traffic from South America arrives from Columbia on board Avianca airline.
What’s there to do in Aruba?
We’re not going to suggest that Royal Holiday’s seasoned travelers go in for the Extreme Vacations – though certainly you can wind-surf and para-sail and cycle to your hearts content.
Off of Eagle Beach, the Paradise Beach Villas welcome Royal Holiday-ers to a quality of light that is different. It is like Arizona, desert light. But it’s also a light that is informed by the southern Caribbean sea. The water can seem luminous. The sky can seem overwhelming, and the sounds echoing down the beach have that edge of Dutch that will not only charm you, but just may bear a recollection of somewhere else, some time past.
That may not be enough.
- Vehicles for rent, on road or off are widely available on the Island – as are guided tours to some more remote and striking locations.
- Imagine the Bubali Bird Sanctuary in this light – outstanding!
- Food is as varied and multi-cultural as the island itself, with plenty of first rate restaurants, cafes, bistros, kitchens and dining rooms to choose from. It’s one area where a little internet research will pay off but everything from Caribbean seafood to continental cuisine is available. While any island can be pricey, dining options under $20 make up a huge variety of the best reviewed restaurants on TripAdvisor.com.
- There are a number of museums, archaeological digs and the famous Aloe museum and factory. And the Alto Vista Chapel is but one among many of the island’s most reflective and prominent spots to visit.
- Check the Official Aruba Visitors site for a more complete listing. You’ll be surprised how much there is on one desert island!
If you’re looking for a change for your next vacation, Aruba is a tough one to beat. Affordable, tried, true and absolutely unlike anyplace else we offer, consider it for your 2013 holiday. We’ll be happy to get you going!
